Strapping system for agricultural implement

ABSTRACT

A strapping system for an agricultural implement includes a strap feeding assembly positioned on a first side of a baling chamber and a rotating gripper assembly positioned on a second side of the baling chamber, opposite the first side. The strapping system also includes a track assembly configured to direct a strap from the strap feeding assembly to the rotating gripper assembly. The rotating gripper assembly is configured to grip the strap while the rotating gripper assembly is in a first orientation, and while the rotating gripper assembly is in a second orientation that enables crop flow in a rearward direction to draw the strap through the strap feeding assembly.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/775,122, entitled “Strapping System for Agricultural Implement” andfiled Sep. 11, 2015, which is a U.S. National Stage of InternationalApplication Serial No. PCT/US2014/028555, entitled “Strapping System forAgricultural Implement” and filed Mar. 14, 2014, which claims priorityto U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/798,845, entitled “StrappingSystem for Agricultural Implement” and filed Mar. 15, 2013, the contentsof each of which applications are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of packagingcompressible materials, and more particularly, to systems for strappingbales of crop materials.

Generally, rectangular or square balers are utilized to compress certainmaterials into rectangular bales to facilitate storage and handling ofthe material. Usually, the material is compressed within a balingchamber until the material forms a bale of a desired size. Such balerstypically include a mechanism for wrapping and knotting twine around thematerial to maintain the compressed shape of the bale. Unfortunately,twine may be difficult to remove from the bale during subsequentprocessing operations. In addition, the tensile strength of twine may betoo low to effectively bind compressed materials in certainapplications.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, a strapping system for an agricultural implementincludes a strap feeding assembly positioned on a first side of a balingchamber and a rotating gripper assembly positioned on a second side ofthe baling chamber, opposite the first side. The strapping system alsoincludes a track assembly configured to direct a strap from the strapfeeding assembly to the rotating gripper assembly. The rotating gripperassembly is configured to grip the strap while the rotating gripperassembly is in a first orientation for receiving the strap, and whilethe rotating gripper assembly is in a second orientation that enablescrop flow in a rearward direction to draw the strap through the strapfeeding assembly.

In another embodiment, a strapping system for an agricultural implementincludes a slot formed on a material-facing surface of a forwardplunger, the slot being configured to direct a strap from a first sideof a baling chamber to a second side of the baling chamber. A rotatinggripper assembly is positioned on the second side of the baling chamberand is configured to rotate from a first orientation for receiving thestrap from the slot to a second orientation that enables transfer of thestrap to a gripping assembly of a needle.

In a further embodiment, a strapping system for an agriculturalimplement a rotating gripper assembly configured to receive a portion ofa strap and to rotate the strap toward a rear end of the baling chamberas a compressible material collects in the baling chamber. A needle isprovided, the needle having a gripping assembly configured to capturethe strap from the rotating gripper assembly while the strap is rotatedtoward the rear end of the baling chamber, and to transfer an end of thestrap across the baling chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood when the following detaileddescription is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in whichlike characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a portion of a baler;

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a baler havinga strap extending from a first side of a baling chamber to a second sideof the baling chamber prior to strapping a bale;

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the baler of FIG. 2, whereinthe strap extends rearwardly around a portion of a compressible materialwithin the baling chamber as the material collects within the balingchamber;

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the baler of FIG. 2, wherein aneedle extends through the baling chamber to surround the bale with thestrap;

FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the baler of FIG. 2 after thebale is strapped, wherein the strap is fed through a slot of a forwardplunger from the first side of the baling chamber to the second side ofthe baling chamber in preparation for strapping another bale;

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of an embodiment of the forwardplunger having multiple slots formed on a material-facing surface of theforward plunger;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the forward plunger ofFIG. 6, illustrating an embodiment of a track assembly having a gatedisposed within a slot of the forward plunger;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the forward plunger ofFIG. 6, illustrating another embodiment of a track assembly disposedwithin the slot of the forward plunger;

FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a hollowneedle;

FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a needlehaving a track assembly and a gripping assembly;

FIG. 11 is a top cross-sectional view of the needle of FIG. 10 takenalong lines 11-11, illustrating a cavity for a cable and a trackassembly;

FIG. 12 is a side cross-sectional view of an end of the needle of FIG.10, taken within 12-12, illustrating a gripping assembly;

FIG. 13 is a side view of an embodiment of a semi-circular gripperconfigured to grip a strap;

FIG. 14 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a balerhaving an orientating gripper disposed on a first side of the balingchamber;

FIG. 15 is a side view of an embodiment of a J-shaped gripper configuredto grip a strap;

FIG. 16 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a balerhaving a strap feeding assembly configured to orient a free end of astrap toward a forward end of the baling chamber;

FIG. 17 is a side cross-sectional view of the baler of FIG. 16 after thestrap is cut by a sealing assembly, depicting the free end of the straporiented toward the forward end of the baling chamber;

FIG. 18 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a balerconfigured to transfer a free end of a strap from a first side of thebaling chamber to a second side of the baling chamber via a needle;

FIG. 19 is a side view of an embodiment of a self-contained vehicleincluding the baler; and

FIG. 20 is a side view of an embodiment of the baler configured to betowed by a tow-vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will bedescribed below. In an effort to provide a concise description of theseembodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not bedescribed in the specification. It should be appreciated that in thedevelopment of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering ordesign project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be madeto achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance withsystem-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from oneimplementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that sucha development effort might be complex and time consuming, but wouldnevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, andmanufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of thisdisclosure.

When introducing elements of various embodiments of the presentdisclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended tomean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,”“including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean thatthere may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Anyexamples of operating parameters and/or environmental conditions are notexclusive of other parameters/conditions of the disclosed embodiments.

The embodiments described herein relate to systems for strapping a baleof material using a relatively high-strength strap. In particular,various components are provided within a baler to efficiently surroundthe bale with the strap and to seal the strap securely around the bale.The described embodiments may provide certain advantages overtraditional baling systems that use twine to contain bales. For example,the high strength and/or the large surface area of the strap may enablethe strap to hold the bale in the desired size and density moreefficiently than twine, thereby facilitating easy storage and handlingof the bale. Additionally, unlike twine, the strap may be easily removedfrom the bale during subsequent processing operations. Furthermore,certain components described herein (such as, for example, grippers andgripping assemblies) may enable efficient strapping of the bale, whilesubstantially reducing or eliminating twisting of the strap as the strapis applied to and sealed around the bale.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a portion of anagricultural baler 10 configured to form and to strap rectangular balesof material (e.g., crop materials, such as hay, straw, grasses, silage,corn stalks, tobacco, cotton, biomass, etc.). In the illustratedembodiment, the baler 10 includes a frame 12 defining a baling chamber14. The baling chamber 14 has a forward end 16 (e.g., a first end) and arear end 18 (e.g., a second end), which generally relate to thedirection of travel of the baler 10. For example, the baler 10 may bepart of a towed implement, which is coupled to a tow vehicle and pulledthrough a field, thereby enabling the baler 10 to collect and bale thematerial as the towed implement travels through the field. Whenconnected to the tow vehicle, the forward end 16 is proximal to thevehicle, while the rear end 18 is distal from the vehicle. The baler 10may also be included in a self-propelled chassis, or may be part of aself-contained vehicle. As used herein, the term agricultural implementincludes a wide variety of devices, including towed implements,self-propelled chassis, and self-contained vehicles. The baler 10 may befurther defined as having a lateral axis 20, a longitudinal axis 22, anda vertical axis 24. Although the illustrated embodiment includes ahorizontal baler 10, it should be understood that the systems disclosedherein may be readily adapted for use in other types of balers, such asvertical balers. Additionally, although the illustrated embodiments showsystems for strapping the bale about the lateral axis 20, it should beunderstood that the systems disclosed herein could also be readilyadapted for strapping the bale about the longitudinal axis 22 or thevertical axis 24.

In the baler 10 of FIG. 1, the material is compressed within the balingchamber 14 by a forward plunger 26. In the illustrated embodiment, theforward plunger 26 includes a material-facing surface 28 having multipleparallel slots 30 open to the baling chamber 14. As illustrated, theslots 30 extend from a first end 32 (e.g., top end) of the forwardplunger 26 to a second end 34 (e.g., bottom end) of the forward plunger26, and the slots 30 are generally aligned with the vertical axis 24 ofthe baler 10. The slots 30 are spaced evenly across the material-facingsurface 28 of the forward plunger 26. As shown, six slots are providedon the material-facing surface 28 of the forward plunger 26, althoughtwo, three, four, five, seven, eight, nine, ten, or more slots may beprovided in other embodiments. The forward plunger 26 is configured tomove axially within the baling chamber 14 in a reciprocating motionalong the longitudinal axis 22 of the baler 10. The forward plunger 26is coupled to an actuator 36 via one or more arms 38. The actuator 36may be a hydraulic cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder, or the actuator 36may include a flywheel that drives a gearbox. The gearbox may, in turn,rotate crank arms that are coupled to the arms 38 to facilitate movementof the forward plunger 26. Regardless of its form, the actuator 36 isconfigured to control the reciprocating motion of the forward plunger26.In the illustrated embodiment, the baler 10 includes a spool 40configured to store and/or to provide a strap 42 for strapping thematerial. In certain embodiments, the spool 40 may be accessible and/orremovable for replacement or installation of the strap 42. Asillustrated, the spool 40 provides the strap 42 to a strap feedingassembly 44, which is configured to direct and/or to propel the strap42. For example, in certain embodiments, the strap feeding assembly 44may propel the strap 42 from a first side 46 (e.g., top side) of thebaling chamber 14 to a second side 48 (e.g., bottom side) of the balingchamber 10, opposite the first side 46. In some embodiments, the strapfeeding assembly 44 may propel the strap 42 from the first side 46 tothe second side 48 via the slots 30 of the forward plunger 26, asdiscussed in more detail below.

In the illustrated embodiment, the baler 10 includes a sealing assembly50, which is configured to receive and/or to capture the strap 42 and toseal one portion of the strap 42 to another portion of the strap 42 toform the strap 42 into a sealed loop around the bale, as described inmore detail below. In certain embodiments, one or more of the spool 40,the strap feeding assembly 44, and the sealing assembly 50 may becoupled to the frame 12 (e.g., on the first side 46 or the second side48 of the baling chamber) of baler 10. Furthermore, in some embodiments,the spool 40, the strap feeding assembly 44, and/or the sealing assembly50 may be disposed on the same side, such as on the first side 46, ofthe baling chamber 14. Although one spool 40, one strap feeding assembly44, and one sealing assembly 50 are shown in FIG. 1 for clarity, itshould be understood that additional components may be provided withinthe system to surround the bale with multiple straps, in someembodiments. For example, as shown, the spool 40, the strap feedingassembly 44, and the sealing assembly 50 are aligned with a first slot30 a. However, a separate spool 40, strap feeding assembly 44, and/orsealing assembly 50 may be provided and aligned with each of the slots30 of the forward plunger 26. Thus, multiple straps 42 may be directedthrough the slots 30 of the forward plunger 26 and sealed around thebale, as described in more detail below.

In the illustrated embodiment, the baler 10 includes a needle 52, whichmay be generally disposed on the second side 48 of the baling chamber14. The needle 52 is configured to move through the baling chamber 14,and in some embodiments, the needle 52 may move through the balingchamber 14 on an arc. In the illustrated embodiment, the needle 52 isconfigured to rotate about an attachment 54 at a first end 56 of theneedle 52 as the needle 52 moves through the baling chamber 14.Additionally, in certain embodiments, the needle 52 may be coupled to agripping assembly 58 disposed generally near (e.g., proximal to) asecond end 60 of the needle 52. The gripping assembly 58 of the needle52 may be configured to receive and to grip the strap 42. The needle 52may have any of a variety of configurations and may serve any of avariety of functions, as described in more detail below. For example,the needle 52 may be configured to transport the strap 42 from thesecond side 48 to the first side 46 of the baling chamber 14 to wrap thestrap 42 around a bale, and to transfer the strap 42 to the sealingassembly 50. The needle 52 may additionally or alternatively beconfigured to transport or guide the strap 42 from the first side 46 tothe second side 48 of the baling chamber 14 to position the strap 42 forstrapping a subsequent bale within the baling chamber 14.

Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, the baler 10 includes arotating gripper assembly 62. As depicted in the embodiment of FIG. 1,the rotating gripper assembly 62 is disposed on the second side 48 ofthe baling chamber 14 and is generally forward of the needle 52 alongthe longitudinal axis 22. In some embodiments, the rotating gripperassembly 62 may be coupled to the frame 12. The rotating gripperassembly 62 is configured to receive and to capture the strap 42, and torotate from a first orientation to a second orientation, as describedbelow. As noted above, although only one needle 52 and one rotatinggripper assembly 62 are illustrated for clarity, it should be understoodthat multiple needles 52 and rotating gripper assemblies 62 may beprovided within the system to surround the bale with multiple straps 42.For example, one needle 52 and one rotating gripper assembly 62 areshown as aligned with one slot 30 a; however, a separate needle 52 androtating gripper assembly 62 may be provided for, and aligned with, eachof the slots 30 formed in the forward plunger 26, in some embodiments.

Additionally, as noted above, although the illustrated embodiments showsystems for strapping the bale about the lateral axis 20 of the baler10, it should be understood that the systems disclosed herein may bereadily adapted for strapping the bale about the longitudinal axis 22 orthe vertical axis 24. For example, to strap the bale about the verticalaxis 24, the slots 30 may extend across the material-facing surface 28of the forward plunger 26 such that the slots 30 are aligned with thelateral axis 20 of the baler 10 and are parallel to the top end 32 andto the second end 34 of the forward plunger 26. In such configurations,the strap 42 may be propelled through the slots 30 laterally 20 acrossthe baling chamber 14 from a first side (e.g., adjacent to a firstvertical or side wall) to a second side (e.g., adjacent to a secondvertical or side wall, opposing the first vertical or side wall) of thebaling chamber 14. The spool 40, the strap feeding assembly 44, and/orthe sealing assembly 50 may be disposed on the first side (e.g.,proximate to a first vertical or side wall) of the baling chamber 14,and the needle 52 may be disposed on the second side (e.g., proximate toa second vertical or side wall) of the baling chamber 14. The componentsmay function together to surround the bale with the strap 42 about thevertical axis 24 of the baler 10 in a similar manner as describedherein, although the components and system may be oriented and adaptedfor strapping the bale about the vertical axis 24.

The strap 42 may be formed from any suitable high-strength material. Forexample, the strap 42 may have a strength of about 150 kilograms-force(kgf) to about 1500 kgf. In some embodiments, the strap 42 may have astrength of about 300 kgf to about 1200 kgf. The strap 42 may be anysuitable width, although the strap 42 may be about 1 centimeter (cm) toabout 5 cm wide, in some embodiments. In certain embodiments, the strap42 may be formed from carbon steel or plastics, such as polypropylene orpolyester. In some embodiments, the baler 10 is configured to form balesthat are about 2 to about 3 meters long (along the longitudinal axis 22)by about 1 to about 2 meters wide (along the lateral axis 20) by about0.5 to about 1 meter tall (along the vertical axis 22), and the strap 42is of a suitable strength to securely strap bales of this size.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of thebaler 10 having the strap 42 extending from the first side 46 of abaling chamber 14 to the second side 48 of the baling chamber 14 priorto strapping the bale. As shown, the baler 10 is configured to receivethe material and to compress the material into the bale within thebaling chamber 14. The strap feeding assembly 44 and the sealingassembly 50 are disposed on the first side 46 of the baling chamber 14.The needle 52 and the rotating gripper assembly 62 are disposed on thesecond side 48 of the baling chamber 14. At this stage in the strappingprocess, the strap 42 extends through the baling chamber 14 from wheels70 of the strap feeding assembly 44 to the rotating gripper 62. Theneedle 52 includes a gripping assembly 58 that is in a configuration(e.g., open) to receive a portion of the strap 42. The sealing assembly50 includes a mandrel 72 which is also in a configuration (e.g., open)to receive the strap 42.

The material may flow into the baling chamber 14 through the forward end16 and the forward plunger 26 may move in a rearward direction 76 alongthe longitudinal axis 22 to compress the material within the balingchamber 14. More particularly, the forward plunger 26 may compress thematerial toward or against the rear end 18 of the baling chamber 14. Incertain embodiments, the rear end 18 includes a stationary wall,although in other embodiments the rear end 18 may include a rear plungerconfigured to provide a means to control the size and/or density of thebale. As the material accumulates in the baling chamber 14, the materialurges (e.g., moves, pushes) the strap 42 to wrap around a rear portionof the material and to move generally rearwardly as indicated by arrow76. In other words, as the material accumulates in the baling chamber14, the strap 42 captures and wraps around a rear portion of the cropflow.

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the baler of FIG. 2, whereinthe strap 42 extends rearwardly around a portion of a compressiblematerial within the baling chamber 14 as the compressible materialcollects within the baling chamber 14. The strap feeding assembly 44 mayenable the strap 46 to be pulled around the material within the balingchamber 14, and the strap feeding assembly 44 may provide resistance ortension to the strap 46 as material accumulation within the balingchamber 14 draws the strap 46 rearwardly around the material. Asillustrated in FIG. 3, as the strap 42 moves rearwardly 76, a portion 78of the strap 42 is directed to and received (e.g., captured) by themandrel 72 of the sealing assembly 50. Additionally, the rotatinggripper assembly 62 rotates from a first orientation to a secondorientation as indicated by arrow 80, thus rotating the strap 42rearwardly (e.g., toward the needle 52 and/or toward the rear end 18 ofthe baling chamber 14). In certain embodiments, the rotating gripperassembly 62 may be mounted on a spring (e.g., torsion spring), and thus,the rotating gripper assembly 62 may rotate due to a force applied bythe strap 42 as the strap 42 is pulled rearwardly by the materialaccumulating within the baling chamber 14. In other embodiments, therotating gripper assembly 62 may be powered, such that the rotation isdriven by electrical power, for example. As the rotating gripperassembly 62 rotates from the first orientation to the secondorientation, the strap 42 engages the gripping assembly 58 on the needle52. Upon the strap 42 engaging the gripping assembly 58 on the needle52, the gripping assembly 58 may capture (e.g., grip, clamp, hold, etc.)the strap 42. The gripping assembly 58 may include a sensor configuredto detect the strap 42 within the gripping assembly 58. In such aconfiguration, the gripping assembly 58 is configured to close when thestrap 42 is sensed within or on the gripping assembly 58. In someembodiments, the gripping assembly 58 may close automatically when therotating gripper assembly 62 reaches the second orientation. In certainembodiments, after the gripping assembly 58 captures the strap 42, therotating gripper assembly 62 may release the strap 42. Thus, therotating gripper assembly 62 may transfer the strap 42 to the grippingassembly 58 of the needle 52 as, or after, the rotating gripper assembly62 rotates from the first orientation to the second orientation.

Once the bale within the baling chamber 14 reaches a desired size and/ordensity, the strapping process may be completed. FIG. 4 is a side-crosssectional view of the baler of FIG. 2, wherein the needle 52 extendsthrough (e.g., across) the baling chamber 14 to surround the bale withthe strap 42. In other words, the gripping assembly 58 of the needle 52grips the strap 42, and the needle 52 moves (e.g., rotates, etc.)through the baling chamber 14 as indicated by arrow 82. Thus, the needle52 brings the strap 42 from the second side 48 of the baling chamber 14to the first side 46 of the baling chamber 14. In certain embodiments,the needle 52 may move between the second side 48 and first side 46, orvice versa, through the slots 30 of the forward plunger 26. Such aconfiguration provides a path for the needle 52 to move through thebaling chamber 14 and enables the forward plunger 26 to maintain contactwith (e.g., engage) the bale, thereby maintaining the shape of the balewhile the needle 52 moves the strap 42 around the bale.

In the illustrated embodiment, the needle 52 directs or transfers an end84 of the strap 42 into the sealing assembly 50. In some embodiments,the end 84 of the strap 42 may extend approximately 30 cm or less fromthe gripping assembly 58. When the end 84 of the strap 42 is transferredto the sealing assembly 50, the gripping assembly 58 of the needle 52releases the strap 42. The sealing assembly 50 holds the received end 84of the strap 42 and brings the end 84 into contact with the portion 78of the strap 42 already disposed within the sealing assembly 50. Incertain embodiments, the strap feeding assembly 44 may retract (e.g.,pull back) on the strap 42 as indicated by arrow 86, thus tightening thestrap 42 around the bale prior to the strap 42 being sealed. The sealingassembly 50 may seal the end 84 to the portion 78 of the strap 42, thussealing the strap 42 into a loop around the bale within the balingchamber 14.

The sealing assembly 50 may also cut the strap 42, thus releasing thestrap 42 from the sealing assembly 50 so that the strapping process maybe repeated for another bale. In some embodiments, after the strap 42 iscut, the strap feeding assembly 50 may retract (e.g., pull back) thestrap 42 as indicated by arrow 86 to shorten a free end 88 of the strap42 and to better align and position the free end 88 of the strap 42 fortransport from the first side 46 to the second side 48 of the balingchamber 14. As described in detail below, the free end 88 of the strap42 may be moved from the first side 46 to the second side 48 of thebaling chamber 14 through any of a variety of methods. For example, thefree end 88 may be fed through the slot 30 on the forward plunger 26, orthe free end 88 may be fed through a track assembly (e.g., a trackassembly disposed within the slot 30 or disposed within the needle 52).In some embodiments, the free end 88 may be moved from the first side 46to the second side 48 of the baling chamber 14 by the needle 52.Additionally, the rotating gripper assembly 62 may rotate from thesecond orientation to the first orientation as indicated by arrow 89 inpreparation for receiving the free end 88 of the strap 42 and forstrapping another bale.

FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the baler of FIG. 2 after thebale is strapped, wherein the strap 42 is fed through the slot 30 of theforward plunger 26 from the first side 46 to the second side 48 of thebaling chamber 14 in preparation for strapping another bale. FIG. 5 alsoillustrates the strapped bale being removed (e.g., dropped, ejected,transferred, etc.) from the baling chamber 14. As noted above, toprepare for strapping material into another bale, the strap feedingassembly 44 directs or propels the strap 42 from the first side 46 ofthe baling chamber 14 to the second side 48 of the baling chamber 14. Inthe depicted embodiment, the strap feeding assembly 44 propels the strap42 through the slots 30 on the material-facing surface 28 of the forwardplunger 26 to the rotating gripper assembly 62. The slot 30 may bepositioned to align with the strap feeding assembly 44 and the rotatinggripper assembly 62, thus facilitating the transfer of the strap 42 fromthe strap feeding assembly 44 to the rotating gripper assembly 62. Incertain embodiments, the strap feeding assembly 44 may be configured topropel the strap 42 from the first side 46 to the second side 48 of thebaling chamber through the slot 30 in less than 5 seconds, 3 seconds, 1second, or 0.5 seconds. The strap feeding assembly 44 may feed a presetlength of strap 42 through the baling chamber 14 to the rotating gripperassembly 62, or the strap feeding assembly 44 may feed the strap 42until a sensor 87 within the rotating gripper assembly 62 detects thepresence of the strap 46 within the rotating gripper assembly 62.

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of an embodiment of the forwardplunger 26 having multiple slots 30 formed on a material-facing surface28 of the forward plunger 26. As discussed above, the slots 30 areconfigured to direct and/or guide the strap 42 from the first side 46 tothe second side 48 of the baling chamber 14. In some embodiments, theslots 30 are configured to facilitate movement of the needle 52 from thefirst side 46 to the second side 48 (or vice versa) of the balingchamber 14. More particularly, the slots 30 extend from the first end 32(e.g., top end) of the forward plunger 26 to the second end 34 (e.g.,bottom end) of the forward plunger 26, and the slots 30 are generallyaligned with the vertical axis 24 of the baler 10. The slots 30 may bespaced substantially evenly across the material-facing surface 28 of theforward plunger 26.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the forward plunger 26of FIG. 6 taken within 7-7, illustrating an embodiment of a trackassembly 89 having a gate 90 disposed within the slot 30 of the forwardplunger 26. As shown, the gate 90 extends across the width 92 of theslot 30. The gate 90 may be aligned with the material-facing surface 28of the forward plunger 26, or the gate 90 may be recessed within theslot 30 at a distance 94 from the material-facing surface 28 of theforward plunger 26, as illustrated. Recessing the gate 90 from thematerial-facing surface 28 of the forward plunger 26 may enable the gate90 to open more easily without interference from material within thebaling chamber 14, for example. The gate 90 is coupled to the slot 30 byhinges 96, which may be spring-loaded and may generally be configured torelease the strap 42 from the slot 30 as the strap 42 moves rearwardly.In some embodiments, the gate 90 may be actuated, and the gate 90 may beconfigured to open at a certain time (e.g., after the strap 42 isreceived and gripped by the rotating gripper assembly 62).

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the forward plunger 26of FIG. 6, illustrating an embodiment of a self-contained track assembly100 disposed within the slot 30 of the forward plunger 26. The trackassembly 100 is configured to direct and/or to guide the strap 42 fromthe first side 46 to the second side 48 of the baling chamber 14.Providing the track assembly 100 within the slot 30 (as opposed to usingthe slot 30 itself to guide the strap 42, for example) may be desirablein certain cases. For example, the track assembly 100 may be formed frommaterials (e.g., high-strength materials) that may be configured toreduce wear from the movement of the straps 42 through the trackassembly 100. The track assembly 100 may also be repaired or replacedshould a portion of the track assembly 100 become worn over time,without the need to replace the forward plunger 26, for example. In theillustrated embodiment, the track assembly 100 may be coupled to theforward plunger 26, and thus, the forward plunger 26 may support thetrack assembly 100. In some embodiments, the track assembly 100 extendsfrom the first end 32 to the second end 34 of the forward plunger 26.

As shown in FIG. 8, the track assembly 100 includes a channel 102 and agate 104. The gate 104 is configured to retain the strap 42 within thechannel 102 as the strap 42 is propelled through the channel 102. Thegate 104 may be aligned with the material-facing surface 28 of theforward plunger 26, or the gate 104 may be recessed within the slot 30at a distance 105 from the material-facing surface 28 of the forwardplunger 26, as illustrated. Recessing the gate 104 from thematerial-facing surface 28 of the forward plunger 26 may enable the gate104 to open more easily without interference from material within thebaling chamber 14, for example. The gate 104 may be spring-loaded andmay generally be configured to release the strap 42 from the channel 102as the strap 42 moves rearwardly. In some embodiments, like the gate 90described above, the gate 104 may be actuated and the gate 104 may beconfigured to open at a certain time (e.g., after the strap 42 isreceived and captured by the rotating gripper assembly 62).

Thus, the strap 42 may be directed from the first side 46 to the secondside 48 (or vice versa) of the baling chamber 14 via the slot 30, and incertain embodiments, the slot 30 may include the track assembly 89, 100to guide and maintain the strap 42 within the slot 30. Furthermore, thetrack assembly 89, 100 may be segmented along the vertical axis 24 ofthe baling chamber 14 (e.g., the track assembly 89, 100 may not becontinuous between the first end 32 and the second end 34 of the forwardplunger 26). Such segmentation may use less material than a continuoustrack assembly, thereby lowering costs, lowering weight, and providingeasier replacement. The segmentation may also facilitate efficientstrapping of the bale. More particularly, if the track assembly 89, 100is vertically segmented, the track assembly 89, 100 may capture anddirect the end 84 of the strap 42 as the needle 52 transports the strap42 from the second side 48 to the first side 46 of the baling chamber14. For example, the end 84 of the strap 42 may be held by the grippingassembly 58 at the second end 60 of the needle 52. Therefore the end 84of the strap 42 may enter the track assembly 89, 100 as the needle 52moves through the slot 30. The gates 90, 104 may be then closed, therebymaintaining the end 84 of the strap 42 within the slot 30. However, asthe needle 52 moves through the slot 30, the gates 90, 104 may open dueto contact with the needle 52, thereby enabling the strap 42 to betightened against the bale. However, due to the segmentation of thetrack assembly 89, 100 and/or the configuration of the needle 52, thegates 90, 104 remain closed until the end 84 of the strap 42 has enteredthe next segment of the track assembly 89, 100. Therefore, the segmentedtrack assembly 89, 100 facilitates transferring the free end 84 of thestrap 42 through slot 30, while also enabling the strap 42 to wraparound the bale as the gates 90, 104 open as the needle 52 moves throughthe slot 30.

FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the needle 52,in which the needle 52 is hollow. The hollow needle 52 is configured tofacilitate actuation of the gripping assembly 58 disposed near thesecond end 60 of the needle 52. In the illustrated embodiment, thegripping assembly 58 may be actuated by any suitable mechanism, such asby a cable 106 disposed within the needle 52. Thus, as shown, the needle52 includes an outer wall 107 defining an inner cavity 108 extendingalong the length of the needle 52, and the cable 107 is disposed withinthe inner cavity 108. The cable 106 may actuate the gripping assembly 58electronically or mechanically (e.g., hydraulically, pneumatically, orby movement of the cable). For example, the cable 106 may be a pneumaticconduit that provides air to a pneumatic actuator disposed in thegripping assembly 58. In other embodiments, the cable 106 extends from apneumatic actuator to the gripping assembly 58. In such embodiments,movement of the pneumatic actuator drives the cable to actuate thegripping assembly 58. In some embodiments, a solenoid or a linearactuator may drive the cable 106 to actuate the gripping assembly 58.The solenoid or linear actuator may be disposed proximate to theattachment 54. In embodiments having the linear actuator, a two positionair valve may be utilized to power the cable 106. Thus, the cable 106may drive the gripping assembly 58 to grip the strap 42. Similarly, whenthe strap 42 is fed into the sealing assembly 50, the cable 106 maydrive the gripping assembly 58 to release the strap 42. The hollowneedle 52 may have any suitable shape. For example, the needle 52 mayhave a generally cylindrical or annular horizontal cross-section and mayhave a curvature along its length.

FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the needle52 having a track assembly 109 and the gripping assembly 58. As notedabove, in some embodiments, rather than feeding the strap 42 directlythrough the slot 30 or the track assembly 89, 100 of the forward plunger26, the strap feeding assembly 44 feeds the strap 42 from the first side46 to the second side 48 of the baling chamber 14 through the trackassembly 109 disposed within or coupled to the needle 52. As shown inFIG. 9, the track assembly 109 extends along a length of the needle 52.Additionally, the track assembly 109 may be segmented along the lengthof the needle 52 (e.g., the track assembly 109 may be discontinuous andmay include multiple segments 110 disposed along the length of theneedle). Alternatively, a continuous track assembly 109 having acurvature that substantially corresponds to the curvature of the needle52 may be provided within the needle 52.

As noted above, in certain embodiments, the needle 52 may have acurvature and thus the track assembly 109 may be disposed along thelength of the needle 52 as multiple segments 110 (e.g., a segmentedtrack assembly) to enable the track assembly 109 to follow the curvatureof the needle 52. Each segment 110 of the track assembly 109 may have agate similar to the gate 104 described above with respect to FIG. 7 toretain the strap within the segments 110. In such configurations, thestrap feeding assembly 44 may propel the strap 42 through the trackassembly 109 of the needle 52 to the rotating gripper assembly 62 on thesecond side 48 of the baling chamber 14 to prepare for strapping anotherbale. For example, rather than directing the strap 42 from the firstside 46 to the second side 48 of the baling chamber 14 through the slot30 of the forward plunger 26, as shown in FIG. 5, the strap feedingassembly 44 may direct the strap 42 into the track assembly 109 of theneedle 52. For example, the strap feeding assembly 44 may direct thestrap 42 into the track assembly 109 as shown by arrow 112. The strap 42may travel along the needle 52 through the segments 110 as shown byarrow 114.

FIG. 11 is a top cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the needle 52of FIG. 10 taken along line 11-11. As shown, the needle 52 has multiplepaths extending through the cross-section. Such a configuration mayenable the needle 52 to have both the track assembly 109 and theactuation mechanism, such as the cable 106, for actuating the grippingassembly 58. As illustrated, the needle 52 includes a cavity 116extending along the length of the needle 52 between the attachment 54and the gripping assembly 58. The cavity 116 is configured to supportthe cable 106. The cavity 116 may fully or partially surround thecircumference of the cable 106. Further, the needle 52 includes anopening (e.g., a slot) 118 extending along the length of the needle 52,or at least along a portion of the length of the needle 52 to supportthe track assembly 109 similar to the track assembly 89. As describedabove with reference to FIG. 7, the opening 118 of the needle 52 maydirectly support one or more gates 120. Alternatively, the opening 118may support a self-contained track assembly 109, similar to the trackassembly 100 of FIG. 8. The track assembly 109 and the gates 120 mayhave similar features to the track assemblies 89, 100 disposed withinthe slots 30.

FIG. 12 is a side cross-sectional view of the second end 60 of theneedle 52 of FIG. 10, taken within lines 12-12. In some embodiments, theneedle 52 may taper along its length or have a tapered portion at ornear the second end 60. The gripping assembly 58 may include anysuitable gripping device and may be coupled to the needle 52 in anysuitable manner. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the gripping assembly58 is disposed near (e.g., proximal) the second end 60 of the needle 52.As shown, the gripping assembly 58 includes a “duck-bill” gripper 120having a bottom portion 122 and a top portion 124 coupled to one anotherby a connector 126 (e.g., hinge). In some embodiments, the bottomportion 122 may be directly attached (e.g., integrated, secured to,etc.) to the needle 52, and may be stationary (e.g., may not moverelative to the needle 52) as the top portion 124 moves (e.g., opens orcloses) about the hinge 126. As discussed above, when the strap 42contacts the gripping assembly 58, the hinge 126 enables the top portion124 to grip the strap 42 between gripping surfaces 128. In someembodiments, one or both of the gripping surfaces 128 may be textured(e.g., grooved, knurled, toothed, etc.) to facilitate gripping the strap42. Additionally, as described above, the gripping assembly 58 mayinclude a sensor 130 configured to sense contact with the strap 42 orplacement of the strap 42 within the gripping assembly 58, and thegripping assembly 58 may be configured to automatically close upondetection of the strap 42. Although shown in the top portion 124, itshould be understood that the sensor 130 may be disposed on the grippingassembly 58 in any suitable position or may be coupled to the grippingassembly 58 in any suitable manner.

Although the gripping assembly 58 of the needle and the rotating gripperassembly 62 may each include a duck-bill gripper 120, such as thegripper 120 shown in FIG. 12, any suitable gripper configuration may beutilized within the gripping assembly 58 and/or the rotating gripperassembly 62. For example, FIG. 13 is a side view of an embodiment of asemi-circular gripper 140 that may be utilized in accordance with thepresent disclosure. In the depicted embodiment, the semi-circulargripper 140 includes a first portion 142 and a second portion 144. Thestrap 42 may be gripped by the curved gripping surface 146 of the firstportion 142 and the gripping surface 148 of the second portion 144 asthe strap 42 is fed (e.g., received) between the first and secondportions 142, 144. One or both of the gripping surfaces 146, 148 may betextured (e.g., grooved, knurled, toothed, etc.) to facilitate grippingthe strap 42. The semi-circular gripper 140 is configured to rotateabout a hinge 150, which may be disposed in any suitable location tofacilitate rotation of the semi-circular gripper 140. In certainembodiments, the hinge 150 may be located within the first portion 142as shown in FIG. 12, and the semi-circular gripper 140 may be configuredto rotate about the hinge 150 as indicated by arrow 152. In certainembodiments, the semi-circular gripper 140 may be mounted on a spring(e.g., torsion spring), and thus, the semi-circular gripper 140 mayrotate about the hinge 150 due to a force applied by the strap 42. Inother embodiments, the semi-circular gripper 140 may be actuated, suchthat the rotation is driven by electrical power, for example. Asdiscussed above, any suitable type of gripper may be incorporated intothe gripping assembly 58 of the needle 52 and/or the rotating gripperassembly 62. However, in certain embodiments the gripping assembly 58includes a duck-bill gripper 120, while the rotating gripper assembly 62includes a semi-circular gripper 140.

FIG. 14 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a balerhaving an orientating gripper 160 disposed on a first side 46 of thebaling chamber 14. The orientating gripper 160 is configured to rotatethe free end 88 of the strap 42 after the strap 42 is sealed and cut bythe sealing assembly 50. In certain embodiments, it may be desirable toprovide an orientating gripper 160 on the first side 46 of the balingchamber 14. For example, rotating the free end 88 of the strap 42 mayenable the strap 42 to be fed from the first side 46 to the second side48 of the baling chamber 14 via the slot 30. In other embodiments, asdescribed below, the orientating gripper assembly 160 may be configuredto direct and/or to position the free end 88 of the strap 42 tofacilitate gripping of the free end 88 by the gripping assembly 58 ofthe needle 52.

With the foregoing in mind, as shown in FIG. 14, the orientating gripperassembly 160 is disposed on the first side 46 of the baling chamber 14.The orientating gripper assembly 160 is configured to rotate from afirst orientation to a second orientation as shown by arrow 162, andthrough such rotation, the orientating gripper assembly 160 may orient(e.g., rotate) the free end 88 of the strap 42 toward the forward end 16of the baling chamber 14 as shown by arrow 164. In some embodiments, astop 166 may be provided forward of the orientating gripper 160 to blockthe forward movement of the free end 88 of the strap 42 beyond a desiredposition. In certain embodiments, the orientating gripper assembly 160may rotate to generally align the free end 88 of the strap 42 with theslot 30 on the material-facing surface 28 of the forward plunger 26.Thus, as described above, the orientating gripper assembly 160 mayenable the strap 42 to be fed from the first side 46 to the second side48 of the baling chamber 14 via the slot 30. In other embodiments, asdescribed below, the orientating gripper assembly 160 may be configuredto direct and/or to position the free end 88 of the strap 42 tofacilitate gripping of the free end 88 by the gripping assembly 58 ofthe needle 52.

In the illustrated embodiment, the orientating gripper assembly 160 isprovided in lieu of the strap feeding assembly 44. Although in otherembodiments, the orientating gripper assembly 160 may be provided inaddition to the strap feeding assembly 44, and may generally be disposedbetween the strap feeding assembly 44 and the sealing assembly 50. Inother embodiments, the orientating gripper assembly 160 may be generallydisposed between the strap feeding assembly 44 and the slot 30 of theforward plunger 26, for example. In such cases, the strap 42 is fed fromthe strap feeding assembly 44 into the orientating gripper assembly 160.

The orientating gripper assembly 160 may have any suitable configurationand may include any suitable style gripper, including the duck-billgripper 120 or the semi-circular gripper 140 described above withrespect to FIGS. 12 and 13, respectively. FIG. 15 is a side view of anembodiment of a J-shaped gripper 168 configured to grip a strap 42. TheJ-shaped gripper 168 includes a first portion 170 and a second portion172 configured to grip the strap 42 between gripping surfaces 174. Oneor both of the gripping surfaces 174 may be textured (e.g., grooved,knurled, toothed, etc.) to facilitate gripping the strap 42. TheJ-shaped gripper 168 may be configured to rotate from a firstorientation to a second orientation as indicated by arrow 176. Inparticular, the J-shaped gripper 168 may rotate about a hinge or point178. When utilized in the orientating gripper assembly 160, the J-shapedgripper 168 may orient the free end 88 of the strap 42 toward theforward end 16 of the baling chamber 14, thus facilitating feeding thestrap 42 through the slot 30 of the forward plunger 26, for example.

FIG. 16 is a side cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of abaler 10 having a strap feeding assembly 44 configured to orient a freeend 88 of a strap 42 toward a forward end 16 of the baling chamber 14.In the illustrated embodiment, the spool 40 and/or the strap feedingassembly 44 are positioned such that the strap 42 is automaticallyoriented towards the forward end 16 of the baling chamber 14 after thestrap 42 is cut. As shown, the spool 40 is disposed rearward of thestrap feeding assembly 44. The strap feeding assembly 44 is oriented toenable the strap 42 to be received at a first, rear-facing surface 180,and to enable the strap 42 to exit the strap feeding assembly 44 at asecond, front-facing surface 182. FIG. 17 is a side cross-sectional viewof the baler of FIG. 16 after the strap 42 is cut by a sealing assembly50, depicting the free end 88 of the strap 42 oriented toward theforward end 16 of the baling chamber 14. Thus, after the bale isstrapped and the sealing assembly 50 cuts the strap 42, the free end 88of the strap 42 automatically moves (e.g., arcs, rotates) forward asindicated by arrow 184 toward the forward end 16 of the baling chamber14. The motion of the free end 88 of the strap 42 may be due, at leastin part, to the stiffness of the strap 42. As described above, such aposition and/or orientation of the free end 88 enables the strap feedingassembly 44 to propel the strap 42 from the first side 46 to the secondside 48 of the baling chamber 14. In certain embodiments, a stop 166(e.g., rest) may be provided on the first side 46 of the baling chamber14 forward of the strap feeding assembly 44 to block the forwardmovement of the free end 88 of the strap 42, and to suitably positionthe free end 88 of the strap 42 for the next stage of the baling process(e.g., to feed the strap 42 through the slots 30).

The embodiments described above generally relate to the baler 10 that isconfigured to feed the strap 42 from the first side 46 to the secondside 48 of the baling chamber 14 via the slot 30 formed on thematerial-facing surface 28 of the forward plunger 26 or via the trackassembly 109 within the needle 52. However, in certain embodiments, itmay be desirable for the strap 42 to be transferred (e.g., moved,pulled, carried, etc.) from the first side 46 to the second side 48 ofthe baling chamber 14 by the gripping assembly 58 of the needle 52. Insuch embodiments, the baler 10 may not require track assemblies 89, 100,109 to direct the strap 42 through the baling chamber 14. FIG. 18 is aside cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the baler 10 configured totransfer the strap 42 from the first side 46 to the second side 48 viathe gripping assembly 58 of the needle 52.

As shown in FIG. 18, after the strap 42 is sealed and cut by the sealingassembly 50, the free end 88 of the strap 42 may be held and/orrecaptured and gripped by the gripping assembly 58 of the needle 52. Inother words, the needle 52 may be configured to grip the strap 42 on thefirst side 46 of the baling chamber 14 after the strap 42 is cut. Incertain embodiments, the strap feeding assembly 44 may be oriented asshown in FIGS. 2-5 and the strap feeding assembly 44 may be configuredto feed or direct the strap 42 into the gripping assembly 58 of theneedle 52. In other embodiments, the strap feeding assembly 44 may beoriented as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, so that the free end 88 of thestrap 42 automatically faces (e.g., rotates) forward after being cut.Such a configuration may enable the gripping assembly 58 to grip thefree end 88 of the strap 42 more easily. In some embodiments, theorientating gripper assembly 160 may rotate the free end 88 of the strap42 toward the forward end of the baler 10 to place the free end 88 ofthe strap 42 into the gripping assembly 58 and to enable the grippingassembly 58 of the needle 52 to grip the strap 42. As noted above, thegripping assembly 58 may include the sensor 130 configured to sensecontact with the strap 42 or placement of the strap 42 within thegripping assembly 58, and the gripping assembly 58 may be configured toautomatically close upon detection of the strap 42. As discussed abovewith respect to FIG. 9, the gripping assembly 58 may be actuated, suchas via the cable 106 disposed within the hollow needle 52. Regardless ofthe manner in which the gripping assembly 58 captures and/or grips thefree end 88 of the strap 42 on the first side 46 of the baling chamber14, once the strap 42 is gripped, the needle 52 may move (e.g., arc,rotate, etc.) downwardly through the baling chamber 14 from the firstside 46 to the second side 48 as indicated by arrow 186. Thus, theneedle 52 may be configured to transfer the free end 88 of the strap 42from the first side 46 to the second side 48 of the baling chamber 14and to extend the strap 42 through the baling chamber 14 to prepare forstrapping additional material into subsequent bales.

In some embodiments, the needle 52 may be configured to transfer thestrap 42 to the rotating gripper assembly 62 disposed on the second side48 of the baling chamber 14. Such a configuration may substantiallyreduce or eliminate the possibility of the strap 42 becoming tangled ortwisted about the needle 52 as the material collects in the balingchamber 14 and pushes the strap 42 rearwardly. In such cases, as thematerial collects in the baling chamber 14, the rotating gripperassembly 62 may rotate and transfer (e.g., retransfer) the strap 42 tothe gripping assembly 58 of the needle 50. After the gripping assembly58 receives the strap 42 from the rotating gripper assembly 62, the balemay be strapped as described above with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4. Inparticular, once the bale reaches a desired size and/or density, theneedle 52 may move through the baling chamber 14 from the second side 48to the first side 46, and transfer the strap 42 to the sealing assembly50, where the strap 42 may be sealed into a loop around the bale.

Alternatively, rather than the separate rotating gripper assembly 62,the needle 52 may retain the strap 42 as the material collects in thebaling chamber 14. In such cases, it may be desirable for the grippingassembly 58 disposed near the second end 60 of the needle 52 to beconfigured to rotate. Thus, the gripping assembly 58 may be able torotate to accommodate the movement of the strap 42 as the strap 42 ispulled rearwardly by the material collecting in the baling chamber 14.In such cases, a separate rotating gripper assembly 62 may be obviated.

FIG. 19 is a side view of an embodiment of a self-contained vehicle 190including the baler 10. As illustrated, the baling chamber 14 issupported and/or mounted within or on the self-contained vehicle 190.The material may flow into the baling chamber 14 via a conveyancesystem, where the material is baled in a manner described above. Thus,the baler 10 may be configured to collect and bale material as theself-contained vehicle 190 travels through the field.

FIG. 20 is a side view of an embodiment of a towed implement having thebaler 10. As shown, the baler 10 includes a baling chamber 14. The baler10 may be ground-supported by wheels 200 and may be coupled to a towvehicle (e.g., a harvester, a tractor, etc.) by a projection 202 that isconfigured to connect the baler 10 to the tow vehicle. Thus, the baler10 may be part of the towed implement and pulled through a field. Insuch a configuration, the baler 10 collects and bales material as thebaler 10 travels through the field behind the tow vehicle.

While the invention has been described with reference to a preferredembodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatvarious changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted forelements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. Inaddition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situationor material to the teachings of the invention without departing from theessential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the inventionnot be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best modecontemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the inventionwill include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appendedclaims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A strapping system for an agriculturalimplement comprising: a needle comprising a gripping assembly; a forwardplunger having a material-facing surface having a slot formed thereon,the slot being configured to direct a strap from a first side of abaling chamber to a second side of the baling chamber, the slotcomprising a track assembly having a gated channel; and a rotatinggripper assembly positioned on the second side of the baling chamber andconfigured to rotate from a first orientation for receiving the strapfrom the slot to a second orientation that enables transfer of the strapto the gripping assembly of the needle, wherein the gripping assembly ofthe needle is positioned on the second side of the baling chamber fortransferring an end of the strap from the second side toward the firstside of the chamber.
 2. The strapping system of claim 1, furthercomprising a strap feeding assembly positioned on the first side of thebaling chamber and configured to propel the strap through the slot. 3.The strapping system of claim 1, further comprising an orientatinggripper positioned on the first side of the baling chamber andconfigured to grip the strap and to rotate to facilitate alignment of afree end of the strap with the slot.
 4. The strapping system of claim 3,wherein the gripping assembly is configured to receive and to capturethe strap from the rotating gripper assembly.
 5. The strapping system ofclaim 4, wherein the rotating gripper assembly comprises a semi-circulargripper configured to capture the strap, and the gripping assembly ofthe needle comprises a duck-bill gripper configured to capture thestrap.
 6. A strapping system for an agricultural implement comprising: astrap feeding assembly configured to propel a strap from a first side ofa baling chamber to a second side of the baling chamber, a rotatinggripper assembly disposed on the second side of the baling chamber andconfigured to receive a portion of the strap and to rotate the straptoward a rear end of the baling chamber as a compressible materialcollects in the baling chamber; and a needle disposed on the second sideof the baling chamber and having a gripping assembly configured tocapture the strap from the rotating gripper assembly while the strap isrotated toward the rear end of the baling chamber, and to transfer anend of the strap across the baling chamber toward the first side of thechamber.
 7. The strapping system of claim 6, wherein the rotatinggripper assembly is configured to be coupled to a frame of theagricultural implement.
 8. The strapping system of claim 6, wherein theneedle is configured to move through the baling chamber around thecompressible material in the baling chamber to transfer the strap to asealing assembly.
 9. The strapping system of claim 8, wherein thesealing assembly seals a first portion of the strap to a second portionof the strap to form the strap into a loop surrounding the compressiblematerial in the baling chamber.
 10. The strapping system of claim 6,wherein the needle comprises a hollow portion, and a cable is disposedwithin the hollow portion, the cable being configured to operate thegripping assembly of the needle.
 11. The strapping system of claim 6,further comprising a track assembly disposed in a material-facingsurface of a forward plunger, wherein the track assembly is configuredto guide the strap from the first side to the second side of the balingchamber.